ERIE, Colo. — An aircraft crash that killed a pilot last week near Erie was caused by the actions of the pilot moments before the crash, according to a preliminary report released Tuesday by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB).
The aircraft, a two-seat Airwolf 912ULS powered parachute, crashed on the morning of Sept. 20 near the Parkland Airport in Erie, according to the report. According to witnesses, the pilot fueled the aircraft and started the engine. He attempted to enter the right side of the craft and inadvertently sat on the throttle control, which got bent into the full throttle position.
According to a report, the pilot was never strapped in the seat with the restraint system, and the aircraft departed across the airport. The aircraft went into a field, hit the terrain and cartwheeled, and the pilot was ejected. The aircraft came to rest upright in the field, the release says.
The pilot was taken to a hospital, where he died from his injuries several hours later, the report says. No other injuries were reported.
The Weld County Coroner's Office identified the pilot as Francis Michael Breth, 78, of Broomfield.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) responded to the accident site. The bent throttle control was found in the full throttle position. The aircraft sustained substantial damage to the fuselage, the report says.
According to FAA records, the two-seat aircraft was built in 2017. FAA records showed that the pilot held a sport pilot certificate.
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